Locker Buddies
by moviefreak1985
Summary: Arnold, Helga, Phoebe, Gerald and the rest head for Hillwood High, where new friends are made and old secrets are discovered. First fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Hey, fellow Hey Arnold fans! This is my first fanfic EVER-so every review will be a big help:) This is going to a LONG one, a series-not quite like the Patakis-though:) It begins the summer after 8th grade and who knows where or when it will end-ha ha!

Disclaimer: Don't own Hey Arnold-crap:)

Chapter One: Flashbacks and Memories &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It was early, just before sunrise, yet the late August air was already getting hot and muggy. Most of Hillwood was still sleeping, kids and teens not wanting to face another day closer to the first day of school and early arisings and parents and adults alike not wanting to go to work in their cramped, hot cubicles in office buildings with no air conditionining and colonies of flies everywhere.

Yet, someone was up. Someone who was too restless to sleep.

She, completely relaxed in old jeans and an extra large T-shirt, was wide awake, writing in a small pink notebook that over the years, though greatly battered and beaten, from being dropped and things spilled on it, held many memories and feelings of this certain girl.

She was writing furiously fast, but still her thoughts were coming at more and more rapid pace...

_I can't believe that this time next week, I will be starting my first day of high school! Junior High was scary enough, but high school? Helga,calm down girl! The only thing that'll change is different teachers, more kids, and a bigger school for you to get lost in!_

Helga chuckled and continued, smiling...

_Helga, not only does high school come with new experiences and new memories and changes, it comes with a pass to change yourself. Admit it, old girl, you've played the touch girl act for far too long.There is no reason for an insensitive, verbally abusing, and threatening alter ego anymore! Is there really anything wrong with letting people know how you really feel, letting them know the real you? Letting him know...how you feel? You're no longer a pig tailed brat in Mr. Simmons class..._

Helga smiles again, leans back, and closes her eyes and begins to reminsce...

_" 23 hours, 26 minutes, and 44 seconds before you die!" Helga shouted through a bull horn in the direction of Arnold's house. Helga smirked an the outside, planning on keeping it up all night or until she fell asleep. She had to admit, torturing and annoying Arnold is what she did best. Everyday she would find different ways to annoy him...out of complete loony love for the guy!_

_" Well, I guess we did pretty good, huh, Helga?"_

_" Yeah, Arnold I guess we did."_

_They took another bow to the standing ovation of the audience at the end of the successful tragic play " Romeo and Juliet"_

_" There's only one thing Helga-why'd you kiss me for so long?" Arnold asked inquistively._

_" I was acting proffesional! Do you think I actually wanted to do that, football head?"_

_" Whatever you say Helga."_

_Helga smiled._

_" Merry Christmas Arnold." Helga silently said to herself, as she gazed lovingly at Arnold through his window. She had been up all night, working in a cold and dreary office, and had traded up her beloved Christmas present. But it was all worth it._

_the fight with Big Patty and how Arnold talked her out of it, sabatoging Arnold and Lila's every night out together, saving a tree and a neighborhood, a haunted train, a misunderstood prank, a walk in the graveyard, the parade, going swimming on April Fools Day, getting amensia and being blind, bio-square, the egg project, and Rhonda's marriage predicator, and all those times she kissed Arnold..._

Helga opened her eyes slowly and smiled and continued writing...

_At least I have stopped making shrines to you, Arnold, in my closet!_

She gazed lovingly at a photograph of Arnold, at the center of all the photos that were on a huge bullentin board in the back of her closet, and chuckled again. With a determined look on her face, she wrote...

_Arnold, I promise-you'll get to see the real side of me-finally!_

Helga, feeling especially poetic, concluded with this little poem...

_Through all these years_

_I've covered up my fears_

_You've never seen my tears_

_Just have heard my jeers_

_I may have seemed tough and mean_

_But that's only what has been seen_

_Deep down I'm just as scared as anyone_

_Full of love and want for fun_

_Take a chance-what harm can it do?_

_Get to know me and how I love you._

Helga gazed wishfully out her window, where a huge orange sun was just coming up over the cityscape. Sighing, she thought _Helga, you can do it-you can let down the old brick wall of insecurites crumble and let your real side show. You can do it_

Helga closed her eyes once more, this time falling into a dreaming sleep.

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Sorry about the cheesy poem-it just fit! If you read this thanx! I promise next chapter will be WAY more interesting! Please review-be greatly appreciated:)


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Hey! Here's chapter 2! I updated! yay! Hope you like chapter 2! Things will start picking up soon! I promise! I'll try to update every Saturday, if not more often! Any comments or ideas feel free to review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold-or anything-boo hoo

Chapter 2: Welcome to Hillwood High!

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A small petite Japanese girl stood at the steps of Hillwood High, staring at the huge stone building, her eyes huge.

" Phoebe, what are you staring at?" A tall African boy with an awesome fro asked in concern.

" Huh? Sorry Gerald, I didn't hear you. I was too busy…"

" Being frozen in typical freshmen terror?" Gerald finished for her, smiling.

" Exactly!" Phoebe smiled. She and Gerald knew each other so well that they always wound up finishing each other's sentences.

Gerald squeezed Phoebe's hand.

" Phoebe, it's going to be okay." Gerald again reassured her.

" Oh Gerald, it's just…I'm scared." Phoebe looked down at the paper that had been crumbled up in her tiny hand. It read:

_Dear Mr. And Mrs. Hyerdale,_

_I am the principal here at Hillwood High, and was just looking over the incoming students cumulative GPAs, when I stopped to see that one GPA had remained a constant 4.00 from the first grade to the eighth! I was greatly amazed, and was excited to find out who the extraordinary child was. It was of course, your daughter, Phoebe. I am writing this letter to tell you that because Phoebe is so gifted with academics, she has the fortune to skip up to the 11th grade! Now, this is a decision that will need lots of thought, both for you and your daughter. Let me assure you that this is an opportunity for Phoebe to increase her academic abilities and further her education. I would like to talk to Phoebe on the first day of school during lunch in my office about this wonderful opportunity. I respect any decision._

_Sincerely,_

_Principal Orwelle_

" Gerald, I can't believe that they want me to skip 2 grades!"

" I can." Gerald smiled, " I'll miss having classes with you, but I'll be happy for you."

" Gerald, you won't have to miss having classes with me-I decided not to skip."

" What?" Gerald was shocked. " You don't have to stay behind just for me." He smiled again.

" It's not you I'm worried about. It's…HELGA! OVER HERE!"

A tall blonde whose hair was blowing softly in the fall breeze ran over and tackled her friend with a hug.

" PHOEBE! Oh my god! I missed you so much this summer! I thought you would never come back from Japan!" Helga said happily, smiling ear to ear. " Do you know how much we have to catch up on? I mean, I had no one to talk to all summer…"

"Hmph" Gerald snorted, a big smile on his face.

" What, Tall Hair Boy?" Helga said, giving Gerald one her famous scowls.

" Nothing…except are you sure you didn't have ANYONE to talk to all summer?" Gerald said, his smile getting even bigger.

Helga blushed. No, there had been someone to talk to. Someone who she had grown closer to. Someone who she only loved more…

" Gerald, what are you talking about?" Helga tried to look angry, but it was hard. " So, Geraldo, where is the old football head anyway?"

" Come on Helga, you don't have to act like you still "hate" Arnold around me." Gerald said, smiling only bigger, if that was even possible!

Helga shot a look at Phoebe, who also was smiling her face off.

" Helga, Gerald's right. We all know you don't hate him." Phoebe said, still smiling.

Helga blushed again. " Oh shut up you guys!" She said with a laugh. " I know you know that I…uh…you know."

Gerald began to tease her. " What Helga, what do we know?"

" You know that I am totally in love with him!" Helga said louder.

Gerald teased her some more. " Who are you in love with?"

" GRRR! You both know that I am hopelessly focused on, forever crazy, completely loony for the one and only ARNOLD! And I will tell him that I am totally in love with him sooner or later! I will! I will tell Arnold! I'll take him in my arms and stare into those huge green eyes and scream is so the world can hear it- ARNOLD! I LOVE-"

" Hey Helga."

" YAK! Don't ever scare me like that again, Football Head!"

Arnold smiled at the words "football head". " Sorry Helga."

" You should be!" Helga, completely pink as the bow on her head.

" But uh, I couldn't help but over hear. What do you love, by the way?" Arnold said, slyly.

Helga's eyes got huge. Then nervously she muttered, " Ice Cream?"

Arnold looked into Helga's baby blue eyes. " Really?"

" Hey, what is this? The third degree? Quit asking questions!" Helga said, scowling.

BRING! The bell rang.

" Well, time for the longest day of our lives!" Arnold said, reaching for Helga's hand, and then firmly holding it.

Helga, stunned, jerked away after about 3 seconds. " Hey! Did I say you could touch me?"

" Sorry Helga-you seemed nervous."

" Well I'm not!" She retorted back, and Phoebe and Gerald rolled their eyes in unison. They started to head for the school. Helga quickly turned to Arnold. " Thanks anyway." She said, smiling a bit.

Arnold smiled back, and he and Helga walked into Hillwood High together.

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Hmmm... wonder what's going to happen! I'm going to start working on Chapter 3 right now! Keep up the reviews!


	3. Chapter 3Part One

Author's Note: Hope you like Chapter 3!-cuz I enjoyed writing it!LOL-anyway, after this chapter things get a little more in routine and deep. Like I said earlier, this fanfic is going to be like a series, which begins freshmen year and follows the PS 118 gang through high school. I'm not sure what's all going to happen yet, but this fanfic isn't just going to focus on Arnold and Helga and if they get together. It's going to focus on a good bunch of the PS 118 kids and their different experiences through high school-and will involve topics like smoking and teen drinking, new crushes and heartbreaks, among other things-which is why it has teen rating, in case you were wondering. Just to give y'all a little heads up! Remember if you have any comments or ideas-review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold, I never did own Hey Arnold, and I never will-unless I become rich and famous and Craig Bartlett lets me buy the rights to it!

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Chapter 3: New Faces, Friends, and Foes-Part One

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Arnold and Helga caught up with Phoebe and Gerald, and the four pushed through the big heavy doors that so many freshmen had traveled through over the years.

On the other side of the doors it was a whole other world.

" Guys, I don't think we're in Hillwood anymore." Arnold said, staring.

The four freshmen stared in awe at how many students were scrambling here and there, and if they weren't on the run to class there was plenty of other activities the students were involved in. Such as a group of seniors shoving a group of freshmen that resembled Brainy, Curly, and Eugene into lockers, two juniors making out by the drinking fountain, a group of sophomore girls talking to each other in a small group by the garbage cans-on their cell phones no less-yep, there was way more to high school then just new stuff to learn and new lockers to jam.

There was a whole other race of people to get to know.

Gerald glanced around at his friends, then took a glance at his schedule.

" Guess I better go find room 28E, wherever the hell that is!"

" Did you say room 28E?" A strange voice asked.

Gerald whirled around to see a guy wearing a letterman jacket facing him. He was carrying no books, and looked like he was probably about a junior. He had dark brown hair that hung in his eyes, which were a dark blue, kind of like the sky right after sunset and the stars are just coming out. Gerald of course, wasn't paying attention to his eyes. Helga and Phoebe couldn't stop _staring_ at this handsome stranger!

" Yeah, I need to get to room 28E for…"

" Let me guess. Freshmen English with Mr. Neumann?" The stranger answered.

" Yeah! I'm guessing you've been around here for awhile." Gerald said back.

"Yeah, too long of awhile." The friendly upperclassmen laughed. " My name's Jake. Junior and on the defensive line for the football team. And you…?"

" I'm Gerald and this is my best brother Arnold."

" Hey." Arnold said, stealing another glance at the enamored Helga. He couldn't help but wonder what was going on in her head. She had this glazed look on her eyes and a goofy smile plastered all over her face. Arnold took a glance at Phoebe, who had a small smile on her face and her eyes seemed to be twinkling. Arnold thought to himself, " _So Jake I take it is a ladies man? I better get a date for Homecoming soon before the entire female population of Hillwood High winds up going with this guy!"_ Arnold chuckled to himself, then stopped. _Does Helga like this guy? I mean, why else does she look so…lovey dovey? What is going on in that blonde head of hers?_ Arnold couldn't help but wonder about the thoughts of Helga-ever since the FTi incident…

FLASHBACK

It had been quite a day-car chases, the over pass had blown up, and a historic landmark, Arnold's neighborhood, had been saved-and it was only 7:30 in the morning!

Arnold, the now infamous 9-year-old with the weird shaped head, sighed happily, as he lied on his bed in his room. But something was eating away at his mind.

Earlier that day, at about 6 in the morning, Arnold had had one of the weirdest conversations and experiences of this life-so far.

A certain girl that he had known since he was three, a girl who had pushed him, shoved him, squirted him, tripped him, and basically humilated him several million times since he had known her, had confessed that she loved him. _Loved _him.

And to top the sundae off she had kissed him. _Kissed _him.

Interestingly it hadn't been the first time, Arnold refected, remembering school plays and what not.

But what confused him the most was when he had confronted her, she denied it all and claimed to truly "hate" him.

Arnold didn't believe it, but wondered? Could this girl, this girl who has looked for every possible scenario to bug him, actually love him?

Arnold knew that Helga G Pataki didn't hate him. But love him?

Helga had always seemed so easy to understand-don't irritate her, get verbally abused, torment her-you have ol betsy to deal with.

But now she seemed so mysterious-and Arnold wanted to know why.

From that day on Arnold decided to get to know her and…the truth.

end flashback

" Arnold?"

Arnold shook his head and looked at Gerald, who had been saying his name for quite sometime but Arnold had been so into thought he hadn't noticed.

" What?"

" See ya-J-man's showing me where room 28E is." Gerald said, and walked off with Jake.

Arnold, confused, thought, _J-man? What happened here?_

Arnold glanced at Helga, who seemed to be admiring Jake's backside happily as he walked away. Arnold walked over to Phoebe and asked what had happened.

" You must have been deep in thought, but anyway, Gerald and Jake got to talking and now their friends, I guess." Phoebe smiled slightly. But she thought, _My first day of school and my boyfriend isn't even going to walk me to class._ But she tried to push the thought away but it was hard. All of a sudden everything was getting blurry.

" Uh, I gotta go Helga."

" Wait-why?" Helga asked, snapping back to reality.

" I uh-I'll talk to you later!" Phoebe ran as fast as she could to the nearest restroom, where she broke down in tears.

" Hey, are you okay?" A soft comforting voice asked.

Phoebe opened her eyes to find a fresh white tissue in front of her. It was being handed to her from a pretty girl with long dark brown hair and green eyes. Phoebe managed a smile.

" Thanks." She said as she took the tissue.

" So what's going on?" The girl, who stood about 5 inches taller then Phoebe and was dressed in the latest micromini denim skirt and sparkly tank, asked caringly.

" My boyfriend-he-he's-he's jerk!" Phoebe exclaimed, breaking down in tears again.

" What did he do?" the girl asked again.

" He promised to walk me to my first class today and go with me to my meeting with the principal but then he met a cute junior who became his friend and they hit it off and he walked off with this guy…"

" OMG. Men. There are all fucking jerks." The girl exclaimed.

" What?" Phoebe, kind of taken aback by this girl's language, inquired.

" Men. They don't have one sensitive bone in their body! You want this guy to be at your side through a new experience and what did he do? Left ya hanging, that's what! Promising to take care of you like princess then treating you like bull shit- You're better off without the loser, uh-what's your name sweetie?

"Phoebe."

"Hey. I'm Maggie. Tell you what. Stick with me and my friends, and we'll show you how to find the right guys and the ways of the world."

"Okay-I'd like that!" Phoebe said, smiling.The two walked out of the bathroom and met up with some of Maggie's friends…

Maggie's right. Gerald was a jerk and I'm glad I realized it now…Phoebe thought.

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What is up with Phoebe and Gerald? Well, I have more to this chapter but I have to cut it short-I'll pick up with Arnold and Helga next chapter-Chapter 4-coming soon!


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